


Promises

by orphan_account



Series: Childhood Memories [13]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Best Friends, Drabble, Drabble Collection, Fluff, Goodbyes, Growing Up, M/M, Young, Young Love, slight angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-26
Updated: 2013-03-26
Packaged: 2017-12-06 14:21:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 848
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/736645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>When Harry is 17 Louis goes to a university nearly 200 miles away.</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	Promises

When Harry is 17 Louis goes to a university nearly 200 miles away. The two of them have lived in Doncaster all their lives, but now the older teen is stood on a crowded platform, waiting for the train that will whisk him away to Bristol for the next four years to study drama. Well, he’ll be home during the holidays and at some weekends but his boyfriend, who is stood next to him clutching his hand like he never wants to let go, knows that it won’t be the same as the almost constant companionship they’ve been enjoying ever since they started dating and for years before that as just friends. They’ve both been dreading this day all summer, and it feels like it’s crept up on them from out of the long, hazy days of ice cream and romantic walks along the beach and sex whenever they can get away with it. Now all that is over, and although the skies are still the same shade of cornflower blue as they have been all August, the younger man feels cold. His body temperature only raises when his partner suddenly pulls him into an unexpected hug and begins speaking aloud the words that have clearly been running through his head.

“I’m going to miss you so much, you know, probably more than mum or anyone! You’ve always been there and it’s going to be so weird without you, but I promise I won’t do anything stupid, ok?” The year 13 smiles a little at that, knowing that it will take something drastic to change his best friend’s partying habits yet unquestionably pleased that that drastic thing seems to be him. “I feel like it’s the end of year 6 all over again,” mutters Louis into his curls, and Harry wants to cry because that’s exactly what he was thinking too, and because this time his best friend really is leaving, rather than simply moving up to a different school. Then the older boy pulls back from the hug and looks up (it’s still shocking to him that the small lad he once knew has now grown even taller than him) so that their eyes meet in a painfully heartfelt merge of green and blue that’s blurred only slightly by the tears that are forming in the corners of their eyes. The 17 year old is about to ask something along the lines of _‘when did we become such sentimental fools?’_ , but before he can do so his partner is talking again so he shuts up and listens. “Except now I can do this!” Suddenly they’re kissing in the middle of the platform and he can feel people staring at them, but he doesn’t care because it might be a while until he can feel these warm, slightly chapped lips pressed against his own again and he wants to make the moment last for as long as possible. This is what he’s going to miss more than the sex and the companionship: the little touches and embraces that make his heart skip a beat and his brain practically fizz with happiness. Without thinking his tongue slides into his boyfriend’s mouth and wraps his arms around his t-shirt clad back to bring them yet closer together as he knows in just a few minutes they will be dragged apart. Eventually, of course, they have to break away for breath and face the real world, but to his surprise when they do so someone begins clapping which evolves into a spontaneous round of applause from several of the commuters around them. Harry can’t stop smiling as Louis just stares at him as though he’s the most perfect person in the world, and it’s not until the rumbling of the approaching train fills his ears that he realises reality is rushing up to meet them at 60 miles per hour. The two teenagers clasp each other once again like they never want to have to move from the position, until the younger man eventually breaks away, biting his lip to hold back what looks like tears that he subtly wipes away as he leans down to pick up his bags.

“I’ll call you tonight!” he tells his companion determinedly as he makes his way into one of the carriages and the train doors shut behind them in what seems almost like a physical representation of their separation. As the vehicle slowly starts to pull out of the station, they remain staring at each other through the glass, each second that their eyes stay fixed on each other like a promise that they won’t allow this to compromise their relationship.

Harry keeps waving until the train is out of sight and only then does he allow himself to cry a little, his determination to keep up a straight face in front of Louis now diminished. Only when he gets home does he find the note on the end of his bed, and he definitely doesn’t sleep with it under his pillow, dreaming about when he and his boyfriend will next be united.


End file.
